Gaming machine with base game bonus feature

ABSTRACT

A gaming machine has a display and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display. The game controller is arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display. If a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize. Further, if an appropriate determination is made by the controller during the playing of a base game, a game bonus feature is triggered. The game bonus feature comprises both a series of free games of the base game and a secondary feature of the base game. The gaming machine includes a selector operable by a player to be awarded either the series of free games or the secondary feature of the base game.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and benefit as a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/639,961, filed on Aug. 12, 2003,entitled “Gaming Machine With Base Game Bonus Feature,” which claimspriority to Australian Application No. 2002950718, filed on Aug. 12,2002, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a gaming machine. More particularly, theinvention relates to a gaming machine and to an improvement to a gameplayed on such a gaming machine.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Players who regularly play gaming machines quickly tire of particulargames and therefore it is necessary for manufacturers of these machinesto develop innovative game features which add interest to the games. Inso doing, it is hoped to keep players amused and therefore willing tocontinue playing the game as well as to attract new players.

Also, with the growth that has occurred in the gaming machine market,there is intense competition between manufacturers to supply variousexisting and new venues. When selecting a supplier of gaming machines,the operator of a venue will often pay close attention to the popularityof various games with their patrons. Therefore, gaming machinemanufacturers are keen to devise games and/or game features which arepopular with the players as a mechanism for improving sales, retainingcustomers and attracting new customers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a gamingmachine having a display means and a game control means arranged tocontrol images of symbols displayed on the display means, the gamecontrol means being arranged to play a game wherein at least one randomevent is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if apredefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein, ifan appropriate determination is made by the control means during theplaying of a base game, a game bonus feature is triggered, the gamebonus feature comprising both a series of free games of the base gameand a secondary feature of the base game, and the gaming machineincluding a selecting means operable by a player to be awarded one ofthe series of free games and the secondary feature of the base game.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, when a secondary featureassociated with a base game is a series of free games, such free gamesnormally have their own symbols, rules, paytables, etc associated withthem which need not necessarily relate to the base game whetherthematically or otherwise. In this specification, unless the contextclearly indicates otherwise, the secondary feature is to be understoodas any bonus event which is awarded when a trigger condition occurs inthe base game. The bonus event is normally, but not necessarily always,thematically related to the base game.

Preferably, the gaming machine includes a composite bonusing featurecomprising a plurality of bonus features, the bonus features beingindependent of each other. The game bonus feature of the presentinvention may form part of the composite, bonusing feature but it is tobe understood that the bonus feature of the present invention need notnecessarily be used exclusively as a part of a composite, bonusingfeature. For ease of reference the composite, bonusing feature will bereferred to as a “composite feature”.

In order to be eligible for the composite feature and, hence, the gamebonus feature, the player may need to wager an additional amount overand above a standard game wager. More particularly, the compositefeature may occur automatically or, instead, the player may have towager an additional bet to be eligible for the composite feature. If thecomposite feature applies, it may occur independently of the base game.

If the composite feature applies, whether automatically or due to thewagering of an additional bet, the control means may make a randomdetermination as to whether or not the composite feature is to occur.

Should the composite feature be triggered, the control means may make afurther random determination as to which bonus feature of the compositefeature is to be played.

In the case of the present invention, if the game bonus feature istriggered by the control means, a second screen may be displayed toafford the player an opportunity to make a selection. The second screenmay comprise a plurality of devices displayed on the second screen withthe player having to select one of the devices by means of the selectingmeans.

The selecting means may be implemented by a touch-sensitive part of thedisplay means overlying the devices. In addition, or instead, theselecting means may comprise a button on a midtrim of the gamingmachine. For example, the second screen may display three devices in theform of treasure chests with the player being required to select one ofthe treasure chests.

When the player has made the selection, the selected device may animateto reveal one of a plurality of outcomes each of which is either anumber of free games of the base game or an automatic trigger or entryto the secondary feature of the base game.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a gameto be played on a game playing apparatus, the game playing apparatushaving a display means and a game control means arranged to controlimages displayed on the display means, wherein, if an appropriatedetermination is made by the control means during the playing of a basegame, a game bonus feature is triggered, the game bonus featurecomprising both a series of free games of the base game and a secondaryfeature of the base game and a player being required to operate aselecting means of the game playing apparatus to be awarded one of theseries of free games and the secondary feature of the base game.

A game playing apparatus includes one which does not require thewagering of a stake in order to play the game and further includesapparatus which is connectable to a network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:—

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a gaming machine, in accordance withan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the gaming machine;

FIG. 3 shows a screen display of a base game forming part of a gameplayed on the gaming machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a screen display when a composite feature occurs on thegaming machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows an initial screen display of a game bonus feature;

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b show a sequence of screen displays of a first outcomeof the game bonus feature;

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b show a sequence of screen displays of a second outcomeof the game bonus feature; and

FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of the game played on the gaming machine when,firstly, the composite feature has occurred and, secondly, the gamebonus feature of either FIGS. 6 a and 6 b or FIGS. 7 a and 7 b has beenawarded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates agaming 30 machine, including a game, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention. The machine 10 includes a console 12 having a videodisplay unit 14 on which a game 16 is played, in use. The game 16 is,generally, a spinning reel game which simulates the rotation of a numberof spinning reels 18. It will, however, be appreciated that the game 16could be another type of game such as a card game, a ball-type game suchas Bingo, Keno, or the like. A midtrim 20 of the machine 10 houses akeypad 22 of buttons for enabling a player to play the game 16. Themidtrim 20 also houses a credit input mechanism 24 including a coininput chute 24.1 and a bill collector 24.2.

The machine 10 includes a top box 26 on which artwork 28 is carried. Theartwork 28 includes paytables, details of bonus awards, etc.

A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the console 12 for cash payouts fromthe machine 10.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a control means or controlcircuit 32 is illustrated. A program which implements the game and userinterface is run on a processor 34 of the control circuit 32. Theprocessor 34 forms part of a controller 36 that drives the screen of thevideo display unit 14 and that receives input signals from sensors 38.The sensors 38 include sensors associated with the keypad 22 and touchsensors mounted in the screen of the video display unit 14. Thecontroller 36 also receives input pulses from the mechanism 24 todetermine whether or not a player has provided sufficient credit tocommence playing. The mechanism 24 may, instead of the coin input chute24.1 or the bill collector 24.2, or in addition thereto, be a creditcard reader (not shown) or any other type of validation device.

Finally, the controller 36 drives a payout mechanism 40 which, forexample, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the coin tray 30 tomake a pay out to a player when the player wishes to redeem his or hercredit.

FIG. 3 of the drawings shows a screen display 50 of a base game 52forming part of the game 16 played on the gaming machine 10. The basegame 52 is a spinning reel game comprising a plurality of spinning reels18. The example shown is the Applicant's base game called “GoldenCanaries™”. However, any other base game 52 could be used in the game 16such as, for example, the Applicant's “Sweethearts 2™”.

The game 16 includes a composite feature called “Lucky Devil™”. Thecomposite feature comprises a plurality of independent bonus features.The bonus features are also independent of the base game 52. Therefore,the bonus feature could be triggered without any win occurring in thebase game 52 or any special symbols occurring in the base game 52.

The “Lucky Devil™” composite feature comprises five different bonusfeatures, one of which is a game bonus feature of the present inventionand is described in greater detail below. For the sake of brevity, thegame bonus feature will be referred to below as a “bonus feature”.

To be eligible for the composite feature, the player must wager anadditional bet. The “Golden Canaries™” base game 52 has twenty paylines,and, assuming the player wagers one bet per line, a total of twentycredits would be required to play all twenty lines of the base game 52.However, to be eligible for the composite feature, an additional wagerof five credits needs to be wagered by the player as indicated at 54 ona bet meter on the screen display 50. Wagering of the additional betmerely gives the player eligibility to participate in the compositefeature. It does not guarantee that the composite feature will occurduring the playing of the base game 52.

A decision as to whether or not the composite feature is to occur ismade by the controller 36 randomly. The determination as to whether ornot the composite feature is to occur is entirely independent of thebase game 52 and also of the result of that base game. In other words,as indicated above, no win need occur in the base game 52 nor need anyspecial symbols occur in the base game 52 for the composite feature tooccur. The chances of the composite feature occurring are preferably thesame regardless of which base game 52 is played on the gaming machine10.

Should the controller 36 determine that the composite feature is tooccur, a special banner 56 (FIG. 4) is displayed over the base game 52after completion of the current base game 52 in order to alert theplayer that one of the bonus features of the composite feature is aboutto occur.

The controller 36 also makes a random determination as to which bonusfeature of the composite feature is to be played. Should it bedetermined that the bonus feature to occur is a “Treasure Chest”feature, being the bonus feature of the present invention, the screendisplay 50 is replaced by a second screen display 60 as shown in FIG. 5of the drawings. In the second screen display 60, an animation of a“Lucky Devil™” character 62 appears on the screen 60 together with threetreasure chests 64. A message 66 is also displayed on the screen 60encouraging the player to select one of the treasure chests 64. Thevideo display unit 14 has a selecting means in the form of a touchsensitive facility so that, when one of the treasures chests 64 istouched by the player to select that treasure chest 64, the controller36 causes the selected treasure chest 64 to animate.

As shown in FIG. 6 a of the drawings, if the third treasure chest 64 isselected, it animates to reveal a bonus feature. In this case, the bonusfeature is, as indicated by message 68, a predetermined number of freegame of the base game 52. In the example illustrated, twenty free gamesof the base game 52 are awarded. Other versions of this embodiment couldbe a greater or fewer number of free games of the base game 52.

Irrespective of the number of free games of the base game 52 which isawarded, the second screen 60 is replaced so that the screen display 50of the base game 52 is again displayed. The twenty free games are playedautomatically without requiring any wager to be staked by the player.The free games follow exactly the same rules that normally apply for thebase game 52 with the only difference being that no cost applies. In thecase of the Applicant's “Golden Canaries™” game 52, its standard rulesapply including the pay structures, paytables etc. The standard “GoldenCanaries™” game includes a secondary feature where, if three or morescatter symbols, represented by an egg symbol 70, occur, a series ofeight free games is awarded during which wins are accumulated on to awin meter 74. In the secondary feature, each time a Canary symbol 72 isspun up in any of the free games, a counter (not shown) is incremented.At the end of the series of eight free games, the total win on the winmeter 74 is repeated by the number of Canary symbols 72 that haveappeared on the reels during the free games. By “repeated” is meant thatthe win is multiplied by the number of Canary symbols 72 on the counterplus one. That total win is then the prize that is awarded for thesecondary feature of the base game 52.

In the bonus feature of the present invention, should the triggercondition of the three scatter symbols 70 occur during the playing ofany one of the free games of the base game 52 then the secondaryfeature, as described above, applies as it would normally do.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 a and 7 b of the drawings, a second outcome ofa selection made by the player is illustrated. With reference to theprevious drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts, unlessotherwise specified.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that, once again, the player hasselected the third treasure chest 64 by touching it. Once again, thecontroller 36 causes an animation of the treasure chest 64 opening toreveal a message 76. In this case, the feature which is awarded is the“Golden Canaries™” secondary feature as described above.

Once the message 76 has been displayed, the second screen display 60 isreplaced by a screen display 78 which is the initial screen display ofthe secondary feature, as described above, of the base game 52.

Eight free games are then played during which Canary symbols 72 arecollected. The total win from the eight free games is repeated by thenumber of Canary symbols 72 which have been collected. In other words,the base game secondary feature is entered directly as if a triggercondition had occurred in the base game 52.

In the playing of the game 16 on the gaming machine 10, a randomweighted decision is made by the controller 36 as to whether or not thecomposite feature is to occur and, if so, which bonus feature is to beawarded. These determinations are made by the controller 36 such thatthe overall return to player of the gaming machine 10 is substantiallyunchanged in comparison with a gaming machine 10 without the compositefeature.

It is therefore an advantage of the invention that a bonus feature isprovided which, as one of its options, provides access to a secondaryfeature of a base game without the need for a trigger conditionoccurring in that base game. It is a further advantage of the inventionthat a bonus feature is provided which forms part of a compositefeature. The composite feature, in turn, enhances a base game whichunderlies the composite feature. As a result, the player's enjoyment ofthe game is enhanced.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerousvariations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown inthe specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive.

1. A gaming machine having a display and a game controller arranged tocontrol images of symbols displayed on the display means, the gamecontroller being arranged to play a game wherein at least one randomevent is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefinedwinning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein, if anappropriate determination is made by the game controller during theplaying of a base game, a game bonus feature is triggered, the gamebonus feature comprising both a series of free games of the base gameand a secondary feature of the base game, and the gaming machineincluding an input sensor operable by a player to be awarded one of (a)the series of free games and (b) the secondary feature of the base game.2. The gaming machine of claim 1 which includes a composite featurecomprising a plurality of bonus features, the bonus features beingindependent of each other, the game bonus feature forming part of thecomposite feature.
 3. The gaming machine of claim 2 which, in order tobe eligible for the composite feature and, hence, the game bonusfeature, the player needs to wager an additional amount over and above astandard game wager.
 4. The gaming machine of claim 1 in which, if thegame bonus feature is triggered by the game controller, a second screenis displayed to afford the player an opportunity to make a selection. 5.The gaming machine of claim 4 in which the second screen comprises aplurality of devices displayed on the second screen with the playerhaving to select one of the devices by means of the input sensor.
 6. Thegaming machine of claim 5 in which the input sensor is implemented by atouch-sensitive part of the display overlying the devices.
 7. The gamingmachine of claim 5 in which the input sensor comprises a button on amidtrim of the gaming machine.
 8. The gaming machine of claim 5 inwhich, when the player has made the selection, the selected deviceanimates to reveal one of a plurality of outcomes each of which iseither a number of free games of the base-game or an automatic triggeror entry to the secondary feature of the base game.
 9. A game to beplayed on a game playing apparatus, the game playing apparatus having adisplay and a game controller arranged to control images displayed onthe display, wherein, if an appropriate determination is made by thegame controller during the playing of a base game, a game bonus featureis triggered, the game bonus feature comprising both a series of freegames of the base game and a secondary feature of the base game an aplayer being required to operate a input sensor of the game playingapparatus to be awarded one of (a) the series of free games and (b) thesecondary feature of the base game.
 10. The game of claim 9 whichincludes a composite feature comprising a plurality of bonus features,the bonus features being independent of each other, the game bonusfeature forming part of the composite feature.
 11. The game of claim 10in which, in order to be eligible for the composite feature and, hence,the game bonus feature, the player needs to wager an additional amountover and above a standard game wager.
 12. The game of claim 9 in which,if the game bonus feature is triggered by the game controller, a secondscreen is displayed to afford the player an opportunity to make aselection.
 13. The game of claim 12 in which the second screen comprisesa plurality of devices displayed on the second screen with the playerhaving to select one of the devices by means of the input sensor of thegame playing apparatus.
 14. The game of claim 13 in which, when theplayer has made the selection, the selected device animates to revealone of a plurality of outcomes each of which is either a number of freegames of the base game or an automate trigger or entry to the secondaryfeature of the base game.